Obituaries from the Wednesday, March 12, 2008 issue of the Roxboro-Courier Times

Josphine C. Blackwell

The funeral for Josphine C. Blackwell, 64, of 514 Brook St., who died Friday, March 7, 2008, at Person Memorial Hospital, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in The Greater Cleggs Chapel Community Missionary Baptist Church in Timberlake by the Rev. Louis Cash. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Surviving are her husband, Andrew Blackwell; a daughter, Shelia C. Pyles of Roxboro; two sons, Gregory E. Winstead Jr. of Roxboro and Andrea Parker of Raleigh; five brothers, Leroy Allen of Roxboro, Johnny, Paul, Larry and Frankie Pettiford, all of Yonkers, N.Y.; seven sisters, Jackie Allen and Marion A. Black, both of Philadelphia, Pa., Esther Pettiford, Blondale Gamble, Dorothy A. Vaughn and Barbara Smith, all of Yonkers, and Jean Newman of Roxboro; and a grandchild, Johnnika Pyles.

Visitation will be from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, March 12, at the church.

Arrangements are by Hester, Whitted & Daye Funeral Home.

Heather B. Bowes

The funeral for Heather Beth Bowes, 17, 1099 Morton Pulliam Rd., who died Saturday, March 8, 2008 at Duke University Medical Center, was conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in the Brooks & White Funeral Home chapel by Pastor Mike Whitt. Burial was in the Person Memorial Cemetery.

Ms. Bowes was a native of Durham County, the daughter of Jessie E. and Nelda Harris Bowes. Her late grandparents were Carl Harris and Peggy Bowes, and her late great-grandfather was Samuel Westbrooks.

She was a junior at Person High School and a member of New Life Independent Baptist Church.

Surviving in addition to her parents are her grandfather, Paul Bowes of Roxboro; her grandmother, Lonie Alma Harris of Roxboro; and her great-grandmother, Gladys P. Westbrooks of Roxboro.

Pallbearers were Blake Whitt, Allen Dunn, Shane Walker, Doug Copper, David Lankford, and Brandon Cothran.

Kyle O’Brien and Larry Honeycutt served as honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to the Duke Child Life Program, c/o Duke Children’s Hospital, Office of Development, 512 S. Mangum St., Suite 400, Durham, NC 27701, attn: Kristen Johnson.

Condolences may be sent online at www.brooksandwhite.com.

Cindy F. Crabtree

The funeral for Cindy Fowler Crabtree, 40, of Timberlake, who died Sunday, March 9, 2008 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the Inman Funeral Home chapel in Tabor City by the Rev. Mickey Dean Ward and the Rev. Tim Nugent. Burial will be in the Green Sea Cemetery, Green Sea, S.C.

Ms. Crabtree was a native of Fairbourne, Ohio, the daughter of William Clayton Jr. and Linda Faye Lewis Fowler of Green Sea, who survives.

Surviving in addition to her parents are her husband, Mitch Crabtree; five sons, Kaine Leigh Strickland of Green Sea, Will Bell and Clayton Kyle Bell, both of Galivants Ferry, S.C., Lucas Crabtree of the U.S. Army and Mitchell Lee Crabtree of Burlington; two sisters, Wilma Fowler Lane of Little River, S.C. and Kim Fowler Costa of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; her paternal grandparents, Clayton and Carrie Fowler of Green Sea.; and a granddaughter.

Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, March 12, at the funeral home.

Lena A. Elliott

Lena Ann Elliott, 75, died Friday, March 7, 2008.

Born Nov. 13, 1933 in Caswell County, Mrs. Elliott was the daughter of the late John Henry and Georgianna Swan Elliott.

She grew up on her parents’ farm and was one of 12 children. At an early age, she joined Allen’s Chapel Baptist Church in Prospect Hill.

She attended Caswell County High School.

Early in life she relocated to Philadelphia, Pa., and one of her major professions was nursing and her patience and caring for the elders brought comfort to many. In Philadelphia, on Dec. 31, 1967, she joined First Corinthian Baptist Church.

Surviving are two daughters, Barbara Downs and husband, Robert, Lisa Crutchfield and Ralph Dickerson; four brothers, George Henry Elliott and Julian Elliott, both of Leasburg and Donnell Elliott of Mitchellville, Md., three sisters, Isabelle Crutchfield of Leasburg, Francis Fuller and Geraldine Flowers, both of New Rochelle, N.Y.

Mary J. Evans

A memorial service for Mary Jane Evans, 79 of 901 Ridge Rd., who died Sunday, March 9, 2008 at the Roxboro Nursing Center, will be conducted at 3 p.m. today, March 12, in the Brooks and White Funeral Home chapel by Elder David Minter. Burial will be in the Surl Primitive Baptist Church cemetery.

Ms. Evans was a native of Person County, the daughter of the late Jim Andrew and Vallie Lunsford Evans. Her late siblings were James Evans and Nan Weaver.

Surviving are nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Visitation will be one at the funeral home for one hour before the service.

Pallbearers will be Brent Talley, Merritt Evans, Buck Weaver, David Milks, William Weaver and John Evans.

Memorials may be made to the Home, Health, and Hospice of Person County, 355 S. Madison Blvd., Roxboro, NC 27573 or Surl Primitive Baptist Church cemetery, c/o Dorothy Clayton, 215 Charlie Moore Rd., Timberlake, NC 27583.

Condolences may be sent to www.brooksandwhite.com.

Larry W. Kidd

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. — The funeral for Larry W. Kidd, 60, of 271 Monarch Village Way, Stockbridge, Ga., who died Saturday, March 8, 2008 of pancreatic cancer, was conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, March 10, in the First Baptist Church of Stockbridge by the Rev. Steve Murrell. A graveside service will be conducted at 3 p.m. today, March 12, in the Person County Memorial Park by his niece, the Rev. Andrea Fair Smith.

Mr. Kidd was a native of Person County, the son of the late Thomas and Sylvia Clayton Kidd of Timberlake. His late brothers were Joseph Kidd and Lane Kidd; and his late sisters were Joyce Kidd and Juanita Mooney.

He graduated cum laude from Elon College in 1974, and received his master's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1981. He began his career with Universal Leaf Tobacco Co. in 1974 immediately after graduation and worked with ULT for 33 years, retiring in 2006.

He resided in Richmond, Va., for 25 years before moving to Windsor, England for three years, and then spent three additional years in Geneva, Switzerland before returning to Richmond to finish out his career at Universal's headquarters.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran.

He was a Baptist and a former member of Cavel Baptist Church in Roxboro, Huguenot Road Baptist Church in Richmond, Va., for 25 years, and Windsor Baptist Church in Windsor, England for three years. At his death he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Stockbridge.

He was an avid golfer in his retirement years and loved playing with the Lake Spivey Senior Men's group.

Surviving are his wife of 37 years, Betsy Howerton Kidd; a daughter, Kelle Torregrossa and husband Wilba; of Newnan, Ga.; two brothers, Selby Kidd and and Billie Kidd, both of Roxboro; three sisters, Ailene Bradsher of Elon College, Joan Horton of Hurdle Mills and Vann Solomon of Roxboro; a grandson, Clayton Walker Torregrossa; and a granddaughter, Maycen Cecile Torregrossa.

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Brooks and White Funeral Home in Roxboro.

Barry Filbey, Walt Ciesiel, Ron Brauer, John Adams, Dave Abbot, Bobby Davis, Ray Morgan and Jay Maher will be honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to the PANCAN, Pancreatic Research, 2141 Rosecrans Ave, Suite 7000, El Segundo, Calif., 90245, the First Baptist Church of Stockbridge Building Fund, 4566 N. Henry Blvd, Stockbridge, Ga., 30218, or the Vista Care Foundation, 1585 Highway 34 East, Newnan, Ga., 30265.

Arrangements are by Cannon Cleveland Funeral Home of McDonough, Ga. and Brooks & White Funeral Home.

Condolences may be sent to www.cannonclevelandfunerals.com.

Ennis R. Lowery

DURHAM — The funeral for Ennis Ray Lowery, 67, of Durham, who died Monday, March 10 at Durham Regional Hospital, will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 13, in Durham Memorial Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Memorial Gardens.

The son of Jolliff and Bessie Lowery, Mr. Lowery grew up in Person County, where he was a member of High View Baptist Church.

After graduation from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Germany for three years.

He was employed for 20 years as credit manager at Pritchard Paint and Glass.

He loved to travel, especially to the mountains and the beach, and creating things with his hands in his workshop and working outside in his garden.

Surviving are his wife of 42 years, Sophie Smith Lowery; a daughter, Jennifer Lowery Martin and husband, Rodney, of Durham; four sisters, Katrine Porterfield of Durham, Hazel Service of Toccoa, Ga., Alice Hakim of Novato, Calif., twin sister Eunice Belcher of Raleigh; and a grandson, Charles Bradford Martin.

His late brother was Raymond Lowery and his late sisters were Emily Oliver, Edna Gillis and Selma Jones.

Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, March 12, at Hudson Funeral Home in Durham.

Memorials may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3716 National Dr., Raleigh, NC 27612.

Brenda F. Solomon

The funeral for Brenda Faye Solomon, 62, of 1005 Country Club Rd., who died Monday, March 10 at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, will be conducted at 4 p.m. today, March 12, in Theresa Baptist Church by the Rev. Herbert Brown. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Solomon was a native of Person County, the daughter of the late James Edgar and Mary Frances Long.

She was a homemaker and a member of Theresa Baptist Church where she was a Sunday school assistant for two- and three-year olds.

She enjoyed making crafts, baking and cooking for others.

Surviving are her husband, Lawrence Wayne Solomon; three sons, Anthony Solomon and wife, Janice, of Timberlake, Joseph Solomon and wife, Angel, James Solomon and wife, Michele, all of Roxboro; four sisters, Helen Bowes, Lillian Oakley and Edna Long, all of Roxboro and Linda Duncan of Leasburg; and four grandchildren, Brandon, Christopher, Brittney and Liza Solomon.

Pallbearers will be Bill Ashley, Josh Atkins, Roy Carver, Kirk Duncan, Cody Kendrick, Kevin Long, Reggie Oakley and Matthew Thornburg.

Randy Clayton and Leanne Thornburg will be honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to the Theresa Baptist Church Building Fund, 3919 Chub Lake Rd., Roxboro, NC 27574.

Arrangements are by Strickland Funeral Home.

Robert E. Wilkins

OXFORD — The funeral for Robert Edward Wilkins, 82, of 113 Coventry Dr., who died Saturday, March 8, 2008 at Durham Regional Hospital, was conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, March 10, in Grassy Creek Baptist Church by the Rev. Johnny Armstrong. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Mr. Wilkins was a native of Granville County, the son of the late Charlie and Ada Whitt Wilkins. His late brothers were James Wilkins and Albert Wilkins, and his late grandson was Chris Wilkins.

He was a retired farmer and was a member of Grassy Creek Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife, Betty Cates Wilkins; three sons, Wayne Wilkins and wife, Donna, of Liberty, Bobby Wilkins and wife, Deone, of Creedmoor and Allen Wilkins and wife, Rhonda, of Stem; a sister, Lugene Powell of Roxboro, five brothers, Lawerence Wilkins and Willie Wilkins, both of Oxford, Roy Wilkins of Kittrell, Rennie Wilkins of Rougemont and Junior Wilkins of Garner; six grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.